


Damaged

by Dark Star Of Chaos (DarkDecepticon)



Series: Unanticipated Variables [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Inspired by Music, Medical Examination, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Permanent Injury, mentions of amputation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 22:38:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8262958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkDecepticon/pseuds/Dark%20Star%20Of%20Chaos
Summary: Bad things happen to everyone. But somehow, even when we know better, the idea that something bad could happen to us seems impossible. Until it does.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was harder than I expected, but oh well. This time I used the prompt "The Humbling River", with the inspiration coming from the following lines:  
>  _I've conquered country, crown, and throne_  
>  _Why can't I cross this river?_
> 
> Enjoy, I guess? Doesn't seem quite right for this fic...

Invincibility was a myth. Shockwave knew that. Any bot of any class or frametype could be damaged or killed at any time. But even so, even after all the brutal battles he'd fought, he never would have expected to find himself here: lying on a table in his own lab, with every sensor in his left arm offline, being scanned by his own equipment.

"Everything looks normal," Circuit Board announced grimly as he studied the monitor which displayed the scans' results. The silver and yellow mech turned to Shockwave. "I'm going to need access to your processor."

Shockwave triggered open the panel on the back of his head without further prompting, allowing Circuit Board to plug in a different machine. A new monitor flickered to life and Circuit Board turned it so it would be easily viewable by both mechs. But Shockwave ignored it, staring fixedly at the ceiling instead.

"I'm going to reactivate your neural net now," Circuit Board warned. "Brace yourself."

His words were followed a few moments later by pain stabbing through Shockwave's hand and up his arm. It wasn't quite unbearable, but his entire frame tensed against it, and the afflicted limb spasmed, hand clenching into a fist he had no hope of opening. He focused on his ventilations in an effort to stay silent, but keeping them even proved difficult.

He had no cognition of time, knowing only that the pain eventually left as suddenly as it had come. When it did, he slumped back to the tabletop, trembling and venting unevenly.

Circuit Board knelt by his side, taking his still clenched fist in hands he couldn't feel. "It's a feedback loop," the scientist said, rubbing Shockwave's hand between his own to relax the seized cables. It was a pointless act, but one Shockwave allowed because he knew it calmed the other to stay busy. "Your processor simply doesn't recognize that you're not damaged, because the processor itself _is_ , and it's picking up signals that don't exist. I..." Circuit Board paused, working his thumbs under Shockwave's fingers to knead his palm. "I can't fix it."

Any other mech would have responded with denial. Not Shockwave. Circuit Board was an excellent neurologist, and processors were his specialty. If he said the damage was irreparable, Shockwave believed him. But...

"I cannot function this way," he murmured, voice broken by static. Circuit Board ceased his ministrations and simply held Shockwave's hand between both of his own, studying it.

"The signals from here up are normal." He moved one hand to press his fingers to a point above Shockwave's wrist. "If we reconfigured the circuitry so your systems map no longer recognized the rest of your limb, it could remove the glitch." He glanced up at Shockwave, optics questioning above his mask. "It would mean losing your hand, but we could replace it with something that doesn't require an advanced neural net."

"It's useless now anyway." Shockwave shut off his optic, feeling suddenly drained. "Do what you have to."

**Author's Note:**

> Random trivia: Except for an animation flub in "Transport to Oblivion", Shockwave's first appearance in "More Than Meets The Eye Part 1" is the only time we see him with two hands. Now you know why (at least in my twisted little world).


End file.
